Hatton V Mayweather.

[NeilMcD]

Hype, hysteria and Hatton no match for Mayweather

John Rawling in Las Vegas
Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather at the post-fight news conference after Hatton was knocked out by Mayweather in the 10th round of their WBC world welterweight title fight
Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather at the post-fight news conference after Hatton was knocked out by Mayweather in the 10th round of their WBC world welterweight title fight
Photograph: Guardian Service

BOXING: Has ever a fight drawn more coverage in the British media than Floyd Mayweather versus Ricky Hatton? Having worked on both Frank Bruno-Mike Tyson heavyweight title fights I can say they did not outrank it, and Lennox Lewis-Tyson certainly didn't. Nor did the hype surrounding the Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn confrontations equal that promoting the skirmish here in Las Vegas.

Those old enough tell me Randy Turpin and Sugar Ray Robinson in 1951 was pretty special, when questions were raised in the House of Commons after the BBC Radio commentary team of Raymond Glendenning and Barrington Dalby led listeners to believe that Robinson was winning their epic fight at London's Earl's Court only for Turpin to have his arm raised after one of the greatest upsets of them all. The public, I am told, was outraged to have been given a duff call.

So I wonder if similar questions will be raised in Britain after it was encouraged to buy into the myth that Hatton was about to beat Mayweather, a fighter who anyone with a proper knowledge of boxing had to acknowledge was a class above brave and lovable Ricky. Yet record pay-per-view figures for Sky Box Office are apparently a distinct possibility and bookies were expecting more money to be wagered on Hatton than for any previous boxing contest.

Reading the newspapers, with the tabloids in particular having developed an insatiable appetite for all matters Hatton in recent months, it did seem all sense of perspective had been lost as Hatton's sub-Bernard Manning cheeky-chappy observations were gleefully reported and Mayweather depicted as the bad guy, with scarcely a reference to his considerable abilities.

And then there is the part played by Sky itself, which surrendered a substantial chunk of its award-winning programming on Sky News on Saturday for what was a thinly-disguised advert for the £14.99 21) a pop required for fans to watch the fight. We had interviews with punters and fans in pubs, on the streets, in the casinos, on Las Vegas Boulevard. And hey, guess what . . . the big news was that Joe Public wanted the "Hitman" to win.

British people allow themselves to be sucked into a belief that England should have a team full of world-class footballers capable of winning the World Cup. No matter that England have been rubbish for the larger portion of living memory, it won't stop the bandwagon starting up again once the qualifiers begin for 2010. And, when the team fail, it's the manager's fault.

Why do people fall for it again and again? Perhaps it is because a cheerleading media ultimately stifles rational thought. This is what happened with the Hatton fight. If you read often enough that Hatton will prevail, and that Mayweather will not handle the heat, you begin to believe it. Especially if you have not actually seen Mayweather fight.

On Saturday night in Las Vegas football standards reached the MGM Grand as Hatton's hordes booed throughout the American national anthem, then jeered the introductions for one of the best fighters the sport has seen. Across Britain many more watched at home, or in clubs and pubs, believing their bets on Hatton were about to pay off.

Except it was never going to happen. Or, at least, it was highly unlikely. Hatton had been backed in to as short as 11-8 against winning the fight, a nonsensical price considering the Mancunian was up against a fighter who has operated on a higher plane for years. The truth is Mayweather is a modern great - Hatton is very good but simply not at that level. But it doesn't sell papers or boost pay-per-view sales, so let's conveniently sweep the facts under the carpet until, come fight time, they jump out and metaphorically - or literally in Hatton's case - dump you on your backside. Not that it matters then, because the sale has been made.

[sliced pan]

I predicted right at 33/1 as I said here nice night for me. Ref didnt let Hatton fight his style but Mayweather showed he was a class ahead if Mayweather is still fighting in a year or two id like to see Hatton give him another go he's gutsy but not gutsy enough.

[shaneker]

Just watched it! Got too ****ed and fell asleep on Saturday night just as the anthems were about to be sung and have spent 2 days desperately avoiding all TV, not going on the internet and keeping out of any shops so I don't see any newspapers while spending 24 hours downloading the fecking thing...totally worth it to watch it as live though.

Absolutely no question as to class, Mayweather truly looked like one of the greatest ever, but I was bleeding for Hatton, he seems a really genuine grounded bloke and I was rooting for him. Gutted he came up so short but loved the fact that he was cracking jokes 5 minutes afterwards.

And sliced pan - fair play to ye, I didn't see either man getting knocked out, good pick!

[Lim till i die]

why Box then?!

What a stupid question.

Why doesn't he move up to heavyweight altogether, shur that's where the real money is??

[paul_oshea]

What a stupid question.

Why doesn't he move up to heavyweight altogether, shur that's where the real money is??

the real money hasnt been in heavyweight fights in a long time.....

...anyhow your not really saying anything so no point in trying to reason with ye

Absolutely no question as to class, Mayweather truly looked like one of the greatest ever, but I was bleeding for Hatton, he seems a really genuine grounded bloke and I was rooting for him. Gutted he came up so short but loved the fact that he was cracking jokes 5 minutes afterwards.

Ya I felt sorry for him, mayweather was class, but cortez never really gave him a chance to fight his fight. For once I agreed with the commentators on Sky!

[kingdom hoop]

Wouldn't be a huge boxing follower, always enjoy it alright, but I must say I had a particularly fantastic time watching this fight. There was something special about sitting with a group of lads, all really lary, volume really loud, late on a Saturday night watching two (or one more accurately I guess) men beat the **** out of each other. More nights like that please.

[Lim till i die]

the real money hasnt been in heavyweight fights in a long time.....

That's because all the current heavyweights are bums.

Big name heavyweight contest would always draw more than a big name contest in any other division.

...anyhow your not really saying anything so no point in trying to reason with ye

Ah paul don't be like that.

Every single thing you post is absolute tosh but I still try to reason with you.

Ya I felt sorry for him, mayweather was class, but cortez never really gave him a chance to fight his fight. For once I agreed with the commentators on Sky!

Damned if I'm going to try reasoning with this though

[jebus]

Surprised so many came on here expecting Mayweather to get beat in the end, as I said, head says Pretty Boy, heart says Hatton, and in the end Mayweather proved a lot of people who doubted his desire to be in the ring anymore wrong, myself included. Anyone who ever thought Hatton could outbox Mayweather hasn't got a clue about the sport in my opinion, the only way he coulod ever have beaten him would be if Mayweather had lost a little bit of desire to box, and as I've said, he proved a lot of us wrong Saturday night. Not a great fight by the way, good, but not great

[paul_oshea]

That's because all the current heavyweights are bums.

Damned if I'm going to try reasoning with this though

great post there.

Sometimes you make some sense, and then other times it appears like ye dont even try.....

Anyone who knows anything about boxing, knows that a refs only real job is to step in when a fighter is in serious trouble or the fights need to be stopped( points deducted etc ) for illegal punches etc. Its not to step in at every opportunity just because he wants to see a clean fight.....ive never ever seen a ref do that before. My god, lads would never be able come through the amateur ranks if that were the case. The only defence for cortez was that it made for a more entertaining fight, and that again is not the job of a ref in boxing.

anyhow, i know my posts are complete tool, thats why ive racked up so many, thats the difference though - i know

[paul_oshea]

Surprised so many came on here expecting Mayweather to get beat in the end, as I said, head says Pretty Boy, heart says Hatton, and in the end Mayweather proved a lot of people who doubted his desire to be in the ring anymore wrong, myself included. Anyone who ever thought Hatton could outbox Mayweather hasn't got a clue about the sport in my opinion, the only way he coulod ever have beaten him would be if Mayweather had lost a little bit of desire to box, and as I've said, he proved a lot of us wrong Saturday night. Not a great fight by the way, good, but not great
__________________

i played my cards close to my chest cos i thought it was going to go the distance at least. this pic says it all really:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai.../soboxx210.xml

I noted it before but ye can see it there too, along with the fight, hatton looks like a little boy compared to mayweather and that really did show in the end whenever mayweather landed a punch.

Jebus, why did you not think it was a good fight, because it was too one sided?!

Btw, anyone who thinks that mayweather wont fight again - assuming someone comes along in the next 2 years - hasn't a clue either. I think some already said that above too.

[jebus]

Didn't think it was great because from the 3rd round on it was obvious Hatton was going to lose, arguably you could say it was from the 2nd round on, and I have to give credit to the Hitman for hanging in til the 10th, as the fight progressed in the third I didn't think he'd get to the 6th, let alone the 10th

[Lim till i die]

The only defence for cortez was that it made for a more entertaining fight, and that again is not the job of a ref in boxing.

Only defence necessary IMO.

I know I'd rather watch Mayweather being Mayweather then Hatton dragging him down to his level.

Any fan of the art of boxing would surely think likewise.

anyhow, i know my posts are complete tool, thats why ive racked up so many, thats the difference though - i know

You can put a little winky thingy at the end there thinking you're being all clever and stuff but to be honest judging by your posts on foot you're either (a) 9 years old (b) should be my pet or (c) both of the above.

BTW, being an idiot is nothing to be proud of.*

Then again, it's a characteristic you seem to find endearing, judging by your Hatton love.


*In no way a personal attack it's just judging by his post he seems to take some sort of perverse pleasure from his posts being "complete tool", whatever the hell that is.

[paul_oshea]

Originally Posted by lim_til_i_die
The only defence for cortez was that it made for a more entertaining fight, and that again is not the job of a ref in boxing.

Only defence necessary IMO.

I know I'd rather watch Mayweather being Mayweather then Hatton dragging him down to his level.

Any fan of the art of boxing would surely think likewise.

thats not a job of the ref. its like saying a football ref should allow offside so there can be loads of goals, cos fans of soccer like to see lots of goals.

It is no defence.

oh and btw I am a big child. But aren't you a bigger one by still going on Ill do a "mayweather* " on it and retire, unlike KH I can give up on lost causes

*like he will....

[Lim till i die]

thats not a job of the ref. its like saying a football ref should allow offside so there can be loads of goals, cos fans of soccer like to see lots of goals.

What a stupid analogy.

It's not even remotely similar.

Jesus.

oh and btw I am a big child.

You're a big something alright.

But aren't you bigger one by still going on

It's this or study for a Strategic Management exam.

And arguing with you is far, far, far less taxing on the oul brain.

[paul_oshea]

I'm not arguing though lim I think you are arguing with yourself....Strategic management shouldn't require much study so im sure you will be alright though.

What a stupid analogy.

It's not even remotely similar.

Jesus.

Ok then.

[Lim till i die]

I'm not arguing though lim

Right, yeah, fair enough paul

Strategic management shouldn't require much study so im sure you will be alright though.

Of course I will.

It's actually probably my favourite subject on the course and is definitely the one I find easiest to do.

There's a hidden message about my opinion of you in there somewhere. I leave it to you to discover as I'm off to bed.

Night, night Lassie.

[Risteard]

Lads keep it to pm will ye?
Or for the sake of yer sanity, don't bother at all.

[paul_oshea]

Lads keep it to pm will ye?
Or for the sake of yer sanity, don't bother at all.

I stopped about 3 or 4 posts ago, but poor lim ( along with the (in)security of needing the last post )feels the need to argue with an idiot

[Lim till i die]

I stopped about 3 or 4 posts ago, but poor lim ( along with the (in)security of needing the last post )

If you're so concerned about my emotional state I suggest you ask around foot paul

Insecure?!?! Roysh.........

feels the need to argue with an idiot

It stopped being an argument posts ago sonny

Lads keep it to pm will ye?
Or for the sake of yer sanity, don't bother at all.

Duly noted and fully agreed with.

This is my last post on the matter.

Would you by any chance allow paul the right to reply though lest he feel my crippling insecurities are causing me to hog the last post rights again??

[joeSoap]

Lads, cop the fuch on, or go get a room will ye??